WarnerMedia is putting its entire production business under review, following the multitude of toxic workplace reports at “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and TMZ.
“We have engaged a third party to do an objective, proactive review across our production business (internal teams in addition to partner productions),” CEO Jason Kilar wrote in a memo. “I want to understand if there is any pattern of behavior that is at odds with our need to treat each other with dignity.”
As part of the review, WarnerMedia will update its Standard of Business Conduct which all employees will be required to sign. The new, stricter, guidelines will extend to Warner Bros.’ producing partners. “I anticipate that there will be situations where we choose to terminate business relationships. I also anticipate that there will be situations where a person may choose not to work with us because of these rigid expectations. That’s fine,” Kilar continued. “While there may be companies that will do business with those people, we do not need to be one of them.”
Controversy surrounded Degeneres over the summer, after dozens of current and former staffers spoke out about their time working on “Ellen” in a pair of bombshell Buzzfeed News reports. WarnerMedia’s subsequent investigation into multiple accusations of workplace and sexual misconduct resulted in “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” removing three of its top producers: Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman.
In a memo to staff back in July, DeGeneres said she was “disappointed” to learn that employees felt mistreated while working on her show and committed herself to “ensuring this does not happen again.”
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” will return to the Warner Bros. lot, sans in-studio audience, on Monday, Sept. 21. “I can’t wait to get back to work and back to our studio,” host Ellen DeGeneres said in a statement earlier this month. “And, yes, we’re gonna talk about it.”
An additional BuzzFeed story featured almost two dozen former TMZ employees accuse the celebrity gossip and news site of bullying, harassment, and gender discrimination.
“We will not be tolerating patterns of behavior that are at odds with our need to treat each other with dignity,” Kilar added.
Emmy Predictions in All 23 Major Categories, From 'Watchmen' to 'Schitt's Creek' (Photos)
These are our best guesses for what shows will come out on top at Sunday's 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, but beware: It wouldn't be the Emmys if a few of the winners didn't come out of the blue.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" "Dead to Me" "The Good Place" "Insecure" "The Kominsky Method" "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" "Schitt's Creek" "What We Do in the Shadows"
Predicted winner: "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, "black-ish" Don Cheadle, "Black Monday" Ted Danson, "The Good Place" Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method" Eugene Levy, "Schitt's Creek" Ramy Youssef, "Ramy"
Predicted winner: Eugene Levy, "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, "Dead to Me" Rachel Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Linda Cardellini, "Dead to Me" Catherine O'Hara, "Schitt's Creek" Issa Rae, "Insecure" Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"
Mahershala Ali, "Ramy" Alan Arkin, "The Kominsky Method" Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Sterling K. Brown, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" William Jackson Harper, "The Good Place" Daniel Levy, "Schitt's Creek" Tony Shalhoub, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Kenan Thompson, "Saturday Night Live"
Predicted winner: Daniel Levy, "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" D'Arcy Carden, "The Good Place" Betty Gilpin, "GLOW" Marin Hinkle, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live" Annie Murphy, "Schitt's Creek" Yvonne Orji, "Insecure" Cecily Strong, "Saturday Night Live"
Predicted winner: Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
"The Great" (episode: "The Great") "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (episode: "It's Comedy or Cabbage") "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (episode: "Marvelous Radio") "Modern Family" (episode: "Finale Part 2") "Ramy" (episode: "Miakhalifa.mov") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "Happy Ending") "Will & Grace" (episode: "We Love Lucy")
"The Good Place" (episode: "Whenever You're Ready") "The Great" (episode: "The Great") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "Happy Ending") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "The Presidential Suite") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "Collaboration") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "Ghosts") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "On the Run")
Predicted winner: "The Good Place" (episode: "Whenever You're Ready")
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
"Better Call Saul" "The Crown" "The Handmaid's Tale" "Killing Eve" "The Mandalorian" "Ozark" "Stranger Things"
Predicted winner: "Succession" "Succession"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, "Ozark" Sterling K. Brown, "This Is Us" Steve Carell, "The Morning Show" Brian Cox, "Succession" Billy Porter, "Pose" Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
Predicted winner: Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show" Olivia Colman, "The Crown" Jodie Comer, "Killing Eve" Laura Linney, "Ozark" Sandra Oh, "Killing Eve" Zendaya, "Euphoria"
Predicted winner: Laura Linney, "Ozark"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicholas Braun, "Succession" Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show" Kieran Culkin, "Succession" Mark Duplass, "The Morning Show" Giancarlo Esposito, "Better Call Saul" Matthew Macfadyen, "Succession" Bradley Whitford, "The Handmaid's Tale" Jeffrey Wright, "Westworld"
Predicted winner: Kieran Culkin, "Succession"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Helena Bonham Carter, "The Crown" Laura Dern, "Big Little Lies" Julia Garner, "Ozark" Thandie Newton, "Westworld" Fiona Shaw, "Killing Eve" Sarah Snook, "Succession" Meryl Streep, "Big Little Lies" Samira Wiley, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Predicted winner: Julia Garner, "Ozark"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
"The Crown" (episode: "Aberfan") "The Crown" (episode: "Cri de Coeur") "Homeland" (episode: "Prisoners of War") "The Morning Show" (episode: "The Interview") "Ozark" (episode: "Fire Pink") "Ozark" (episode: "Su Casa es mi Casa") "Succession" (episode: "Hunting") "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
Predicted winner: "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
"Better Call Saul" (episode: "Bad Choice Road") "Better Call Saul" (episode: "Bagman") "The Crown" (episode: Aberfan") "Ozark" (episode: "All In") "Ozark" (episode: Boss Fight") "Ozark" (episode: "Fire Pink") "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
Predicted winner: "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, "Watchmen" Hugh Jackman, "Bad Education" Paul Mescal, "Normal People" Jeremy Pope, "Hollywood" Mark Ruffalo, "I Know This Much Is True"
Predicted winner: Paul Mescal, "Normal People"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, "Mrs. America" Shira Haas, "Unorthodox" Regina King, "Watchmen" Octavia Spencer, "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" Kerry Washington, "Little Fires Everywhere"
Predicted winner: Regina King, "Watchmen"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, "Watchmen" Jovan Adepo, "Watchmen" Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend" Louis Gossett Jr., "Watchmen" Dylan McDermott, "Hollywood" Jim Parsons, "Hollywood"
Predicted winner: Jim Parsons, "Hollywood"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Uzo Aduba, "Mrs. America" Toni Collette, "Unbelievable" Margo Martindale, "Mrs. America" Jean Smart, "Watchmen" Holland Taylor, "Hollywood" Tracey Ullman, "Mrs. America"
Predicted winner: Jean Smart, "Watchmen"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
"Little Fires Everywhere" (episode: "Find a Way") "Normal People" (episode: "Episode 5") "Unorthodox" "Watchmen" (episode: "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice") "Watchmen" (episode: "Little Fear of Lightning") "Watchmen" (episode: "This Extraordinary Being")
"The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee" "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert"
Predicted winner: "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver"
OUTSTANDING COMPETITION PROGRAM
"The Masked Singer" "Nailed It!" "RuPaul's Drag Race" "Top Chef" "The Voice"
Predicted winner: "RuPaul's Drag Race"
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With Emmy favs ”Game of Thrones“ and ”Fleabag“ gone, who will take their place?
These are our best guesses for what shows will come out on top at Sunday's 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, but beware: It wouldn't be the Emmys if a few of the winners didn't come out of the blue.
